Ludlow: Ramonita de Rodriguez Library Hopes the Next Mayor Will Fight for Education
Inside the Ramonita de Rodriquez Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia, children can be seen reading, playing, and creating school projects in a cheerful room decorated with crafts. They come every Monday through Thursday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the library’s Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP). Having comprehensive after-school programs like LEAP […]
Olde Kensington: Five Creative Places for Your Artistic Palate
Olde Kensington is a close-knit community with a thriving arts and culture scene (watch out, Fishtown). On every street you will encounter anything from an art recycling center to a monstrous exhibition hub. Want to brush up on your photography skills? Grab a cup of premium-sourced coffee? Network at a trendy gallery event? In Olde […]
West Kensington: Rev. Adan Mairena Transforms Community with Holistic Approach
After the Presbytery of Philadelphia asked Rev. Adan Mairena to come to Norris Square following his Resident in Ministry in 2005, he was tasked with a daunting challenge: revitalize the West Kensington Ministry. The neighborhood was in economic decline following factory shutdowns, and church members fled while poverty rose. Mairena has since committed himself to […]
Ludlow: Couple Gives New Life to Maas Building, Opening It to Community
Ben Riesman and Catherine Birdsall are finally satisfied with the endless amount of work and money they have poured into the Maas Building – a project they have been working on for six years. The couple bought the building in 2008 for $420,000, according to city property records. At the time, the structure – which had been the […]
Olde Kensington: The Circus Comes to North Philly
Residents gawked from stoops and car windows as people flew dozens of feet above their heads. Nestled on the edge of Olde Kensington, Fly School Circus Arts treats residents to their very own circus in North Philadelphia. There are no elephants, lion tamers or clowns here, only a handful of students defying gravity on the […]
Ludlow: Longtime Residents Brace for Property Tax Hikes
The city’s proposed property tax hikes wouldn’t affect lower income homeowners in Ludlow, according to the office of State Representative W. Curtis Thomas. However, many Ludlow homeowners fear the city’s new Actual Value Initiative (an effort to more accurately determine property values) will likely force them out of the developing neighborhood they have always called […]
Ludlow: Free Lunch Operation Serves Those in Need
A stoop located at the corner of Lawrence and Jefferson streets offered some shelter from the wind and cold rain. On that stoop stood 76-year old Domingo Martinez, with a plate of hot food in his left hand and a fork in his right. That plate held sliced, hot turkey smothered in gravy along with […]
West Poplar: Teens Harvest Fresh Produce for the Community
In a city where pools are open for only a few weeks out of the summer and recreation centers aren’t providing adequate activity for kids, there is a sense of dread and uneasiness. Over the past two summers, bored and frustrated teens have expressed themselves in the form of flash mobs, descending on the Center […]
West Poplar: Cafe Provides Healthy Alternatives to the Community
Amid the busyness of Spring Garden Street lies a tranquil café nudged at the corner of 10th Street. Teaful Bliss provides customers a variety of teas, as well as coffee and healthy food choices made fresh to order in a calm atmosphere. Owner Jeffrey Mouzon’s love for tea began at an early age as he often […]
West Poplar: Chosen 300 Not Affected by Mayor’s Ban
Despite the gloomy, rainy day, a line forms alongside the tan brick building, it’s red awning displays Chosen 300 Outreach and Worship Center. Men and women patiently wait outside as volunteers set up for the first batch of meals to be served. It is estimated there are approximately 4,000 persons who are homeless on any […]